Wonderware design guidelines

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Allen Stevenson
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1 Wonderware design guidelines 1 Focus on real users Identify and define 5 Build the hierarchy Structure 2 Identify real tasks Prioritize 6 Don t forget the interactions Build a qualitative user experience 3 Collect real content Be specific and constructive 7 Make it visual Prioritize and be consistent 4 Build a device strategy Think pixels 8 Remember the design process Collaborate, learn, think positive

2 1 Focus on real users Identify and define «Obsess over customers : when given the choice between obsessing over competitors or customers, always obsess over customers. Start with customers and work backward.» User profile Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon Meet the end user Don t ignore the end users, they are the key to a good interface. Observe and talk to them to understand their skills and experience. Create personas If you can t meet up with end users, don t think you can avoid it and design the interface for yourself. Build fictional personas with habits, skills and needs. Make them real. Scenario Don t start designing before you know exactly what your HMI is for. To know so, imagine a scenario structured by the different tasks your users would do in a day. Co-create or share the story with the project stakeholders to build a shared vision. USER PROFILE Name : Age : Occupation : Hobbies : Devices : Favorite applications : SCENARIO - day 1 Goals : Main tasks : Rare tasks Obligatory tasks : Problems : Operating procedures : Wishes : Here are some questions which will help you imagine the needs of your users : Profile What is their name? How old are they? What is their job and salary? Are they in a relationship? What do they like to do in their free time? Digital litterracy What devices do they own? What devices do they use at work? What are their favorite applications? Work habits What is their goals during the day? What do they do most often? What do they do seldomly? How do they do it? What do they do when nothing is happening? What problems can occur? What do they do when something bad is going on? What do they feel they need and wish?

3 2 Identify real tasks Prioritize Task inventory Don t ease into the computer too quickly, work with a pen and paper or use a whiteboard to isolate your user s key tasks. Make an inventory of all the tasks in the scenario and list all the situations that have arisen (servicing, restarting, change of procedure...). Functional categories TASKS Tasks in interface Adjust set points Launch procedure Fill reports Respond to an alarm Tasks on site Check for misplaced product Refill material Replace die Situations Beginning of shift Setting up Production Changing order Cleaning in place Stopping the machine Emergency shut down End of shift Put the most important groups first and remove all redundant or irrelevant information. The main information should be accessible in maximum 3 clicks or taps. Categories Classify the tasks into functional groups according to how often they are used and how similar they are : alarms, manual commands, settings... Sub categories List sub-categories which exist within the categories. There shouldn t be more then 3 levels of depth of information. Naming Name the groups of functions with words familiar to the user. They will help build your navigation elements. CATEGORIES New shift Log in Check performances Changing order Select new workorder Replace die Adjust set points Production Adjust set point Fill reports Respond to an alarm Check for misplaced product Refill material Replace die NAMING DON T TIC00_X22.27 In section 22 of machine XXFGH the average temperature measured in Celsius is about 27, Don t use too much abreviations and cryptic text DO Dryer / Section 22 Temperature : 27 Be explicit but concise.

4 3 Collect real content Be specific and constructive Data DATA REPRESENTATION Don t ignore complexity. Know how detailed the interface must be and write down the units that need to be represented.the values shouldn t be too long, if they are it means the unit should change (mm to cm, g to kg...). Always display the relevant unit of measurement to avoid input errors. Understand the relationships between datas and actions and find the best objects to represent them (tables, pie charts, diagrams ). Editorial content Repartition Percentage To build a positive discourse, for instance : Don t say : You have entered the wrong information But try : An account number should be eight digits in length. Clarity Don t communicate in a lengthy and boring manner. Write in the users own language. When possible, use full words and sentences, as opposed to abbreviations and codes. Try to accompany visual icons with text. Trends Balance DIALOG COPY DON T DO Consistency Create consistency in the syntax and tone (neutral or directly addressed to the user...). Compared trend Relationships Do you whish to cancel the set point change? The new set point is 25 liters. Do you whish to save it? Build a positive discourse Your messages should be worded positively and affirmatively and provide constructive insight into how to use the application properly. Level Load Cancel No Yes The copy must be clear, concise and consistent with the buttons to avoid confusion.

5 4 Build a device strategy Think pixels Soft and hardware hand in hand SCREEN SIZES Don t think an interface is always the same, it isn t. It is build and conceived according to the device it is going to be used in. According to the user s needs, the market and your technical possibilities, determine the devices that your interface will be used in. Grid Once you decide on a device strategy, you know how much available space you will have so build a grid for all you elements accordingly : 1280/1024 px tactile, 1024/930 px Standards 1920/1080 px 1440/900 px 1280/1024 px Here are some questions which will help you decide on the device(s) : Is it an old PC? Is it a tactile screen? A phone? Android, Apple, Windows 8? Is it present on multiple devices? Is it different according to the device or is it responsive? Is it a software, a web site or an application? TOUCH SIZES 26/26 px Minimum touch size If possible, use the navigation and interaction standards of the device you are using to minimize the cognitive load of the user. 800/600 px 7 mm 34/34 px Average touch size 768/1024 px 9 mm 8 px Minimum spacing 320/480 px HD : 640/1136 px Percieved : 320/568 HD : 1080/1920 px Percieved : 540/960 px 2 mm

6 5 Build the hierarchy Structure Navigation After making functional clusters, build a navigation bar that allows navigation at all times between the main pages of the interface (commands, alarms...). Clusters Items that are logically connected should be grouped together on the screen, whereas items that have nothing to do with each other should be separated. You can use white space between collections of items to group them and/or you can put boxes around them to get the same result. Generic functions such as help, connection, language can be assembled.they can be placed in the upper bar with the logo, status, time and alarms... Readability Define a readability dynamic and place elements accordingly. Ex : top left to bottom right following the western societies reading dynamic or down to top following the Windows users habits NAVIGATION Maximum 7 items in a navigation bar READABILITY DYNAMIC At all times the users must be able to : Situate themselves clearly Access the main navigation functions Switch function or task Move to the previous or next step Log in or log out. Try to keep the same layout from one page to the other

7 6 Don t forget the interactions Build a qualitative user experience Feedbacks Always inform your users with visual cues or messaging of actions, changes in state, errors and exceptions. Provide different types of notification according to the severity of the message. Always include the ok or close function to start a process, confirm an order or after entering data. Make way for errors Every action of your user should be undoable. If the user does cause an error, use your messaging as a teachable situation by showing what action was wrong, and ensure that they know how to prevent the error from occurring again. Animation Don t disturb your users for nothing, avoid flashing animations unless they express a fatal emergency. Things that are not the same shouldn t look the same. Differentiate the static information from text fields or other dynamic elements. The best interface designs are invisible. FEEDBACKS i Information The recipe s new parameters have been saved. Validation Do you want to save the new recipe? Notification The packager roll will be finished in 1 hour. Alarm Please check the filter in the main dryer. BUTTON STATES Active INPUT TEXT Enter Colour DON T Free text increases the chance of input error Selected Select Colour Pink Orange Green NO DO YES Disactivated Default values reduce the chance for error Consistency When an application works consistently, it means that the users only have to learn the rules once, increasing their efficiency at each interaction. Create patterns by applying similar codes and actions to your design and if possible replicate patterns existing in interfaces popular to the user. Put your buttons in consistent places on all your windows, use the same wording in labels and messages, and use a consistent color scheme throughout your interface. Velocity The interface shouldn t be too crowded and heavy to avoid loading problems. All interactions should be extra fluid, your users won t wait.

8 7 Make it visual Prioritize and be consistent Layout DON T DO Work on a fixed grid, keep the same page layout from one page to another. With tactile interfaces, use as much screen space as possible, make elements big enough. Restrict the number of active zones and place them far enough to facilitate touch navigation. Text Only display essential information. The rest of the information can be displayed using filters, toggle buttons, pop-ins Make sure it is big enough to be read : minimum 14pt. Test maximum character height and width : Å is the tallest, y the lowest and W the widest. Align fields : left-justify edit fields, the corresponding labels should be right-justified and placed immediately beside the field. Justify data : right-justify integers, decimal align floating-point numbers, and left-justify strings Icons Limit the use of icons to standard functions or explain them with text. Don t design without a grid Too small for reading and touch Action Action is different froma link A link Plain text is different from a link Align Text Don t align with the ascenders Align all elements Big enough for reading and touch Action A button is for an action A link Underlined text often say link Align Text Align with the text X-height (not ascenders or descenders) Create a library of standard elements : buttons dialogs grids lists menus sub header switches tabs text fields tooltips Color and images Limit the number of colors to 5 or 6 and use them to create meaning. For instance, use green when all is ok, yellow when something could be changed, red when things go wrong. Provide appropriate contrast, it has to be maximum 70 % : use dark text on light backgrounds and light text on dark backgrounds. The resolution of the imported images must be at least equal to the screen resolution.

9 8 Remember the design process Collaborate, learn, think positive Iterate When developing interfaces, it is often said that you need to fail fast and iterate often. You will make mistakes but it will get you further than you think. Co-create and share Identify which stakeholders will be relevant for each phase of the project and work together with them. If possible don t just talk on the phone, meet up. You ll start to learn about each other s disciplines, reducing pain points and allowing more autonomy in the decision making. Talk with your stakeholders to establish the tools that will be used and they way you will work together. Ask yourselves : Will the project be waterfall or agile? How often will there be deliveries? How will the files be sent, on what plateform? What will be the ways to keep track of changes and requests? Show your sketches around to stakeholders, managers, engineers, designers and users. Take note of the reactions, explain your decisions, discuss and if necessary come to a compromise. Always move forward. Communicate Communicate on your innovation in conventions, publications, social medias or other appropriate communication channels.

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